Presidential Working Group Seeks Wider Input On National Policing Bill” — Extends Memoranda Deadline By August 21

The Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill has extended the deadline for the submission of memoranda and position papers on the proposed legislation to Friday, August 21, 2026.
The new deadline is 5 p.m. West Africa Time.
The extension was announced on Thursday by the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu and Chairman of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.
Gbajabiamila said the additional time was intended to allow individuals, institutions and organisations to prepare substantive contributions to the proposed legislation.
According to him, the Working Group is committed to broad consultation and ensuring that informed perspectives from Nigerians and relevant stakeholders are reflected in the development of the National Policing Bill.
He said the proposed legislation is expected to establish the operational, administrative, institutional and funding framework required for an effective policing architecture capable of responding to Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.
The framework, he added, is also expected to incorporate safeguards for accountability, professionalism and the protection of citizens’ rights.
“Given the significance of the proposed reform to the future of policing and internal security in Nigeria, the Working Group considers it important that stakeholders are afforded more opportunity to make substantive and technically sound contributions to the process,” the statement said.
The Working Group urged legal practitioners, civil society organisations, security sector professionals, state governments, professional bodies, academics, experts and interested members of the public to take advantage of the extended deadline.
It said all memoranda and position papers must be submitted on or before 5 p.m. WAT on Friday, August 21, 2026, exclusively through the official National Policing Bill portal.
According to the Working Group, developing an effective national policing framework requires careful consideration of several critical issues, including sustainable funding, command and control structures, recruitment and training standards, operational jurisdiction and inter-agency coordination.
Other issues identified include accountability mechanisms and safeguards against political interference, abuse of power and other practices capable of undermining effective policing.
The Working Group said the complexity of these issues made robust stakeholder engagement necessary in developing a policing framework that would be effective, accountable, sustainable and responsive to the security needs of communities across the country.
It added that at the conclusion of its assignment, the Working Group would present a final, implementation-ready draft of the National Policing Bill for onward legislative processing.
The Group thanked stakeholders who had already submitted memoranda and encouraged those yet to participate to use the extended window to make their contributions.
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